Escape

do not fret
as darkness comes
catch the cool air
beneath a barn owl's
wings

rising in flight
from a bare branch
bewitched by moonshine
in a forest of
silvered slow motion

an apparition
of white wonder
gliding against the backdrop
of an ink black sky
pitted with sequins

carry me with you
night bird

Reviews

[Crowley]

Only under the cover of night is this type of escape possible. The possibility of everything grows in the dark, good or bad, the escape requires the cover before the light of day shrinks it to man size bits made out or our agreed upon realities. Great writing Chris!

[Chris Shaw]

Hey, hi Crowley. An old poem out for an airing. Thanks for stopping by to share your thoughts. All the best to you.

Chris

[Diamond]

Beautiful imagery! Precisely expressed with brevity. Loved the line "apparition of whte wonder". Much enjoyed. Thanks for sharing.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Diamond for your thoughtful response. Much appreciated.

Chris

[John the Baptist]

Although the natural scene depicted in this one is beautiful in its imagery, I wonder if some spiritual lesson lies here in allegory. Although the animal in question is a barn owl, it is a white bird, just as is a dove. The white bird soaring against the black night sky could represent the purity of spirit in a time of darkness. The request in the last lines could be a plea for salvation. On the other hand, it could all be just a lovely scene from nature.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you John for sharing your thoughts on my poem. You are appreciated and welcomed.

Chris

[Eilis]

This is such a beautiful portrait of a moment, Chris. The soothing whoosh of night-sky under bird wing. The mystery of birds themselves that can help us forget ourselves for a moment and remember the world of miracle surrounding us.

We have a family of owls that haunts the pine trees around our house. Starting at dusk they will start speaking to each other from different corners and then soaring from tree to tree like playing tag. Sometimes we will sit on the driveway and try to go unnoticed enough to enjoy their dance up close. You’ve described the presence and mystery so well here. Feel like I’m in the scene and the wind generated by owl wing is flashing past my ears.

Thank you for this bit of peace and beauty this morning. A lovely moment to be immersed in.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Eilis for sharing your owl story. How fascinating are our avian friends. They bring so much joy and we can learn so much about them from observation. Happy you enjoyed my bit of night scape. I think we would all like to fly off somewhere at the moment and return when the outlook is brighter.

Chris

[Gee]

Good morning Chris.
Can picture this clearly, like a black and white silent movie.
Such beautiful and mysterious birds.
Hope you are well, virus free and haven't got to the point where you want to wring a neck or two :)))

[Chris Shaw]

We are all doing well Gee. Remarkable really when we have a 19 and a 21 year old in the house. We each have our own space and come together at meal times and when we need a bit of extra encouragement. We are fighting a common enemy. That makes a huge difference. Hope all is good with you. The house and garden have never been so tidy. Stuff is getting done. All the repairs are being sorted :)) Thanks for your visit.

Chris

[Fran Marie]

Escape seems so
appropriate here
if I had my druthers
I'd surely join the night
bird on his flight..alas
we have no wings ..but
we can dream..cant we

[Chris Shaw]

We can certainly dream Fran Marie. Thank you so much for your visit. All good wishes and keep safe.

Chris

[Fran Marie]

I remember this one ..the second time
around and it's still a memorable and
well written piece..always nice to read
your poems once again..

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you :)

[Beccy]

Beautifully articulated Chris; and yes, escape is what we all crave at this time. Love the imagery employed here, it conjures up a most peaceful scene and hopefully, we will soon be fully enjoying those scenes once more.

Beccy.

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you Beccy. Let's hope, it goes away as quickly as it came. Pleased you enjoyed the imagery.read moreThank you Beccy. Let's hope, it goes away as quickly as it came. Pleased you enjoyed the imagery.

Chris

[Einstein Noodle]

ahhhhhhhhh i love this .. thanks for the moment ... love the owl ... almost as the eagle .. the owl is the creature who rules the roost in the forest night ... silent flight .. deadly intent ... your poem gives me all that and more .. its rather magical ... so enjoyed the ride Christine! another nice one says i! no thoughts to change a thing when i read it! just pure "experience" it ... well done!
E.

[Chris Shaw]

So pleased Mr E you enjoyed my little bit of night flight and you found the experience a wee bit magical. That certainly puts a smile on my face. All good wishes winging across the pond to your doorstep.

Chris

[gram linski]

great image of being flown through the forest by the night owl tis a wonderous thing to see if you lucky enough to see them, great poem, Chris, morning to you,

[Chris Shaw]

Thank you gram. Saw a night owl on TV in slow motion. I was really taken with it. Wonderful to watch. All good wishes.

Chris

[Pete]

i love owls. there is something mystical and majestic about them. i had the pleasure of seeing one in my yard once - just stared in amazement. i have heard their calls in the night - amazing. i'll take a ticket with them anytime and with your wonderful write. love this ... :)

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Pete, I love owls as well. Thank you so much for reading and responding. Keep safe in these troubled times. All good wishes.

Chris

[JamesTleBourn]

Wonderfully written, Chris. I see a vivid image of such a flight being undertaken by such a noble and avian creature. Incredible imagery. I also like the shift at line 16-17: it moves from a 3rd person perspective to a personal, first person desire. Well crafted.

James

[Chris Shaw]

Many thanks James for your thoughtful response. All good wishes and take care.

Chris